Jubaland State: A Beacon of Hope In The Horn

The sudden shattering-collapse of law and order following the fall of General Mohamed Siad Barre’s regime in Somalia and the internecine wars that ensued thereafter culminated in the balkanization of the great Somali republic into clan enclaves.

Its a matter of paramount importance to understand the role and history of clan politics and how it developed over the centuries to shape the modern government in Somalia. Traditionally, nomadic society mastered the art of forming alliances to protect the interests of kingship and ensure water and grazing land.

At this juncture we need to critically assess the Somali region of Jubbaland and how it has embarked on the mission of state-building under the stewardship of Ahmed Mohamed Islaam (Madoobe). Jubbaland State has made great stride in all facets of the human endeavour under the stewardship of Mr Madoobe, and it has become a shiny glimpse of progress and development in the entire Horn of Africa.

Despite the fact that there are many hurdles towards the realization of higher plains of achievement, President Ahmed Islaam has unequivocally stated that he is determined to Marshall all his energy and valour towards the realization of his dream of incorporating areas like Bu’ale which has hitherto remained elusive in his quest to bring into the fold of the Jubbaland.

The charismatic leader has managed a great feat by salvaging the region from the depths of lawlessness and restored law and order, a sure recipe for nation building. In light of this, Madoobe needs to harness his efforts towards nation-building that will likely contribute to a stable government and emphasize the democratic participation of people within the nation to demand rights. It will need to build the society, economy, and polity which will meet the basic needs of the people, so that they are not driven into poverty, inequality, unemployment that may in some instances lead to unhealthy competition not cooperation for resources and power. This does mean not only strengthening the formal institutions of democracy, but the underlying culture which recognizes respect for the identities and needs of others both within and outside. It means development of human rights — political, civil and the rule of law. But it also means development of sewer systems, and roads, and jobs from the meagre resources that the region gets from revenue collection. Perhaps most important, it means the development of education.

Nation-building must allow the participation of civil society, and development of democratic institutions that promote welfare. Democratic state-building is an important part of that. This is a multi-faceted process that may pan-out differently each according to local context.

The subdivision of the Somali state by the colonial masters have left behind a flawed system that has subsisted to date. The colonialists left behind a legacy of greed and corruption by the powers that be that has grown, that escalated during the scientific socialism’s interlude, with far-reaching consequences seen only in the aftermath of its crumble.

Basically, the imported forms of governance, while in the best professed intentions of the ruling elites hoping to unite and overcome common Somali issues, proved to be an instrumental to sow seeds of discord and destruction among the homogeneous society. Deluded by supposed clan supremacy and mobilized along kinship, Somalis have waged war for nearly 3 decades, an armed contest and besmirched political competition that has left all in the doldrums.

In light of the aforementioned factors that has led to the sorry state of affairs in the entire land inhabited by the Somalis, president Ahmed Madoobe needs to make a paradigm shift from the scourge that has bedeviled the denizens of the great Somali state and embark on a policy of cohesion and integration in order to step out of the old and backward clan system that has left us hanging from a cliff for decades so that a higher and a new vista in all spheres of the human indulgence is realized.